Short Cruises Out of Galveston Bay

[G DUb]

Hey guys, I have had my boat now for two years and got her back in the shape I think she should be…(mechanically sound/water tight/ready to cruise. I work from can to can’t with only two or three day to enjoy a trip. I am looking for some cool (as my boys would say) weekend cruise for me and the kids out of the “Greater Galveston Bay” area. Any thoughts come to mind? BTW....I have a trawler not speed boat.

 

[swampu]

I've got friends that take a two day cruise in the slip. They don't go anywhere. TonyB is from your area maybe you can search his name and shoot him a pm. Post some pictures when you get some time.

 

[BobH]

G Dub, we have been in the Clear Lake area on and off for many years. One of the places we like to go is Offatts Bayou. You can anchor out and dinghy into Moody Gardens or take a slip in the Moody Gardens Marina. Another option is to take a slip at the Harbor House Marina on the Strand in Galveston.

If anybody has any other suggestions we would like to hear them too. We might be ready to head out for a few days in a couple of months.

Bob

 

[G DUb]

Thanks Bob…. we dock at GYB and have been wanting to head over to Moody so the boys can spend the weekend there and watch the fireworks at night.

What about places in the intercostals that would be a nice cruise? Thought about heading down to Corpus but that’s a long day each way

 

[BobH]

We have never headed in that direction. Going east you can head to Lake Charles and tie up on the bulkhead off the civic center but that is a long trip also. The other anchorage between Lake Charles and Galveston Bay would be Taylor Bayou canal, but there is absolutely nothing there.

If you can a copy of Campbell's Cruising Guide to Texas, it has a lot of information about anchorages along the coast.

If you're based on Galveston you could come up the ship channel and take a slip in the Clear Lake area. The Boardwalk Marina is right behind the Kemah Boardwalk which has all kinds of attractions. I have seen people tie up along the sides of the channel going into the Boardwalk Marina but I don't know if that is really legal.

Bob

 

[G DUb]

That sounds pretty good....If memory serves me correct KBW has an entry between the harbor and the boardwalk which would allow the kids have a day pass with easy access.

I will certaiinly get a copy of the Campbells and check it out. We do like remote sites so I will sww what I can find on Taylor Bayou Canal.

 

[Steve]

Shell Island is about 20 miles east of Taylor outfall Canal. Nothing to do there but it is pretty and there were no other boats there when we stopped We anchored on the south side of the island a couple of times on a cruise to Houston. Watch out for the gators! I dinghied our daschie over to the shell beach, when we got in the dinghy to go back to the boat there was one about 5-6' long cruising between us and the boat. I slapped the water with a paddle and he left. Activecaptain.com has reviews of most of the anchorages in the area.
Steve W

 

[Keith]

If you're in the Clear Lake area, the quickest overnighter is to anchor out behind Red Fish island. Offatt's bayou in Galveston is great. An 8 hour trip from Clear Lake West will get you to Freeport. Bridge Harbor has a pool and a small ship's store. There is a municipal marina up river which is cheaper, but no pool, just docks. Heading East, it's a haul to Port Arthur, but you can anchor at Shell as mentioned or in the Taylor's bayou outfall canal...head up the canal then anchor in the leg off to your port. Commercial traffic runs the main canal 24/7. Past Port Arthur you can head over to Lake Charles. Several marinas there but my fav is the new municipal one right at the convention center. Like other mentioned, Campbell's and ActiveCaptain.com are your best bets.

 

[Steve]

What is the latest on the Galveston Yacht Basin for transient boaters. I looked at some pix on their site they only show one of a slip with no finger piers do others have them? Reviews on active captain are not good but the most recent is from 2010
thanks
Steve W.

 

[G DUb]

What is the latest on the Galveston Yacht Basin for transient boaters. I looked at some pix on their site they only show one of a slip with no finger piers do others have them? Reviews on active captain are not good but the most recent is from 2010
thanks
Steve W.

Tthere are a lot of boat out for the summer fishing the South Texas Tournaments. Open transient slips on most docs and each have fingers. Give Stephanie a call and she can tell you exactly what open and prices...800.866.2869

 

[Forkliftt]

If you're in the Clear Lake area, the quickest overnighter is to anchor out behind Red Fish island. Offatt's bayou in Galveston is great. An 8 hour trip from Clear Lake West will get you to Freeport. Bridge Harbor has a pool and a small ship's store. There is a municipal marina up river which is cheaper, but no pool, just docks. Heading East, it's a haul to Port Arthur, but you can anchor at Shell as mentioned or in the Taylor's bayou outfall canal...head up the canal then anchor in the leg off to your port. Commercial traffic runs the main canal 24/7. Past Port Arthur you can head over to Lake Charles. Several marinas there but my fav is the new municipal one right at the convention center. Like other mentioned, Campbell's and ActiveCaptain.com are your best bets.

Offatts Bayou is a great one as Keith said. Can also get a slip at Moody Gardens there.

 

[Tony B]

Freeport is a full days ride. Nothing to really see but it is a destination and sometimes a destination is the goal. The advantage of freeport would be the open Gulf if a nice day or the ICW if not so nice. Offatts Bayou is really a nice spot, but not really a trip for you. Some of the above posts have good recommendations for Freeport.

 

[G DUb]

Sounds like we will be making a trip to Freeport. For me its more about the trip than the destination. Rounding bends and seeing the deer/hogs or a gater sliding off the bank. Does'nt get much better.

 

[Keith]

The oldest marina there is Bridge Harbor, has a pool, a small store and now a grill. Mingo Marquez is the harbormaster, great guy! Across the ICW is Bridge Point marina, newer but no pool. Cheapest is the municipal marina up the channel a bit; no amenities. Pick your poison!